Support for an electric cell

ABSTRACT

The support includes a plate having two openings, each receiving one of the two terminals of an electric cell. The cell is attached to the plate by attaching the terminals to the plate. The plate carries a socket for a multiple contact plug. A conductor connects one of the terminals with a contact that leads to the socket. Carrying means in the form of a strap is attached to the plate.

United States Patent [1 1 McCarthy 51 Jan. 9, 1973 s41 SUPPORT FOR ANELECTRIC CELL 3,093,515 6/1963 Rector 136/166 [76] Inventor: Laurls J.McCarthy, 99 North Herfi gx 339/152 x mosa, Sierra Madre, Calif. 91204 i[22] Filed; Aug, 13, 1971 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Moore Art -W H. F.S h d PP No: 171,522 omey arren 0 mm mg 7] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl .339/108R, 339/147 R, 339/278 R, The support i l d a l te having two openings,136/181 each receiving one of the two terminals of an electric [5 Cl- .Q.1101! celL The cell is attachedto the plate atta hing the Fleld Searchterminals to the plate. The plate carries a socket for a 278 multiplecontact plug.

A conductor connects one of the terminals with a con- 56 1 ReferencesCited tact that leads to the socket. Carrying means in the UNITED STATESPATENTS form of a strap is attached to the plate.

3,625,774 12/1971 Rodgers ..339/152 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 36 24 i62 1 i 42 22 62 I 45 3 Q 56 ll 48 4a 56 I8 30 I I6 1 ll fi i M 28 2SUPPORT FOR AN ELECTRIC CELL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention:

The invention is directed to supports for portable electric cells.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

To applicants knowledge, the prior art does not disclose a support foran electric cell of the type that includes a plate to which theterminals of the cell are fastened, which plate includes a means, suchas a strap, for carrying the cell and which plate also carries anelectric socket which receives a multiple contact electric plug.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The cell support includes a plate havingopenings that are aligned with and receive the protruding terminals ofthe cell. The cell is secured to the plates by finger-actuated nuts thatare screwed onto the threaded terminals. The plate is provided with athird opening, and a metallic tube is aligned with the third opening.The tube is electrically connected with one of the terminals of thecell. A conductor is carried by the plate, one end thereof beingconnected with the other terminal of the cell and the other end of theconductor forming a contact that is aligned with the tube. The tube andcontact form the contacts that are connectable, respectively, withcontacts of a multiple contact electric plug.

Other features and the advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention isillustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theassembly including an electric cell, the support thereof, and a multiplecontact electric plug;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, of the support and afragmentary sectional view of the cell, the section being taken alongline 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bottom of the support.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The assembly includes the cell12, a support 14 for the cell, and a means for carrying the cellcomprising a strap 16. The cell 12 is standard and of the twelvevolttype. It is provided with two terminals 18 and 20 that are spaced fromone another. The terminals may be of the threaded-stud type to whichfinger-actuated nuts 22 and 24 can be attached.

The support 14 for the cell 12 is in the form of a plate having arectangular top portion 26 and an endless downwardly extending flange28. The support complements the top of the cell 12.

The top portion 26 of the plate is provided with two openings 30 and 32that are aligned with and respectively receive the terminals 18 and 20.

The electrical plug receiving socket 36, in the form of a tube, issuitably secured to the top side of the plate 12. The tube is providedwith a plurality of downwardly extending extensions 38 which extendthrough holes 40 in the plate. These extensions are bent toward oneanother as is more clearly shown in FIG. 3. The tube 36 is splitlongitudinally as shown at 42 and is biased radially inwardly foryielding, holding a multiple contact contact that are insulated from oneanother, one con-.

tact being connectable with one side of the load and the other contactbeing connectable to the opposite side of the load.

The terminals 18 and 20 must be insulated from one another by thesupport, yet connectable when a multiple contact plug is inserted in thesocket 36. While not limited thereto, the plate is formed of sheetmetal; and, therefore, the metal socket 36 is in direct electricalcontact with the plate. A conductor 46 is secured to the underside ofthe plate 12, but is insulated from the plate by insulating strips 48the strips being disposed on the opposite sides of the conductor. Theconductor is held in position under the plate by rivets 50, theinsulating strips 48 being provided with aligned holes 54 through whichthe rivets extend, sufficient clearance being maintained between therivets and the conductor to prevent contact between the plate and theconductor.

The conductor is provided with a hole 56 that is aligned with theopening 32 in the plate 12. Hole 56 receives the terminal 20. Thediameter of the hole 32 is larger than the diameter of terminal 20 so asto assure preventing the terminal from touching the plate. The plate andterminal 20 are fastened also when the nut 24 is tightened against theplate.

An opening 58 is disposed in the plate 12 in axial alignment with thetube forming the socket 36. The conductor 46 is provided with anupwardly bulged portion 60 forming a contact that is axially alignedwith the tube.

When the electrical plug 44 is forced inwardly into the socket, theaxially disposed contact thereof will engage the contact 60 of theconductor 46 and the peripheral contact of the plug will engage theinside walls of the socket 36. Thus, an electrical circuit can beestablished between the cell 12 and the load.

The plate is provided with slots 62 for receiving the strap 16 to fastenthe strap to the plate.

Thus, it is apparent from the foregoing that by virtue of the presentinvention, I have provided an assembly comprising an electric cell and asupport, to which support an electric plug can be attached and throughwhich support and plug an electric circuit can be energized by the cell.The strap 16 may be in the form of a shoulder strap.

The cell can be readily attached or removed requiring no extraneous toolfor these purposes.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A support for a portable electric cell, which cell includes twofixed, protruding terminals, said terminals being spaced from oneanother, said support comprismg:

(A) a plate having:

l. openings aligned with the terminals for receiving the terminals,

2. a third opening;

B. means for fastening one of the terminals that is received in one ofthe two openings to the plate;

C. a metallic socket for receiving a multiple contact plug, said sockethaving an opening aligned with the third mentioned opening, said socketforming a contact engageable with one of the contacts of the D. meansfor fastening the socket to the plate;

E. a conductor having:

1. an opening aligned with the opening in the other opening for theother of said two terminal openings, the other of said terminalsextending through said opening in the conductor,

2. said conductor having a contact portion aligned with the thirdmentioned openings;

F. means for fastening said other terminal to the plate;

G. carrying means attached to the plate.

2. A support for a portable electric cell as defined in claim 1,characterized in that the third mentioned opening is disposedintermediate the openings for the terminals.

3. A support for a portable electric cell, which cell includes twofixed, protruding terminals, said terminals being spaced from oneanother, said support comprising in combination:

A. a metal plate having:

1. openingsaligned with the terminals for receiving the same, 2. a thirdopening;

B. means for fastening one of the terminals in current conductingrelationship with the metal plate;

C. a metal socket for receiving a multiple contact plug, said sockethavingan opening aligned with the third mentioned opening in the plate;

D. means for fixing the metal socket in grounded relationship with themetal plate;

E. a conductor having:

1. an opening aligned with the opening for the other of said terminals,

2. a contactable portion aligned with the third mentioned opening in theplate;

F. means for insulating the conductor from the plate;

G. means for fastening the said other terminal to the plate;

H. carrying means attached to the plate.

4. A support for a portable electric cell as defined in claim 3,characterized in that the third mentioned opening is disposedintermediate the openings for the terminals.

5. A support for a portable electric cell as defined in claim 3,characterized in that the insulating means comprises two sheets ofinsulating material, the conductor being disposed between said sheets;and further characterized to include:

I. means for fixing the insulating sheets to the plate.

1. A support for a portable electric cell, which cell includes twofixed, protruding terminals, said terminals being spaced from oneanother, said support comprising: (A) a plate having:
 1. openingsaligned with the terminals for receiving the terminals,
 2. a thirdopening; B. means for fastening one of the terminals that is received inone of the two openings to the plate; C. a metallic socket for receivinga multiple contact plug, said socket having an opening aligned with thethird mentioned opening, said socket forming a contact engageable withone of the contacts of the plug; D. means for fastening the socket tothe plate; E. a conductor having:
 1. an opening aligned with the openingin the other opening for the other of said two terminal openings, theother of said terminals extending through said opening in the conductor,2. said conductor having a contact portion aligned with the thirdmentioned openings; F. means for fastening said other terminal to theplate; G. carrying means attached to the plate.
 2. A support for aportable electric cell as defiNed in claim 1, characterized in that thethird mentioned opening is disposed intermediate the openings for theterminals.
 2. said conductor having a contact portion aligned with thethird mentioned openings; F. means for fastening said other terminal tothe plate; G. carrying means attached to the plate.
 2. a third opening;B. means for fastening one of the terminals that is received in one ofthe two openings to the plate; C. a metallic socket for receiving amultiple contact plug, said socket having an opening aligned with thethird mentioned opening, said socket forming a contact engageable withone of the contacts of the plug; D. means for fastening the socket tothe plate; E. a conductor having:
 2. a contactable portion aligned withthe third mentioned opening in the plate; F. means for insulating theconductor from the plate; G. means for fastening the said other terminalto the plate; H. carrying means attached to the plate.
 2. a thirdopening; B. means for fastening one of the terminals in currentconducting relationship with the metal plate; C. a metal socket forreceiving a multiple contact plug, said socket having an opening alignedwith the third mentioned opening in the plate; D. means for fixing themetal socket in grounded relationship with the metal plate; E. aconductor having:
 3. A support for a portable electric cell, which cellincludes two fixed, protruding terminals, said terminals being spacedfrom one another, said support comprising in combination: A. a metalplate having:
 4. A support for a portable electric cell as defined inclaim 3, characterized in that the third mentioned opening is disposedintermediate the openings for the terminals.
 5. A support for a portableelectric cell as defined in claim 3, characterized in that theinsulating means comprises two sheets of insulating material, theconductor being disposed between said sheets; and further characterizedto include: I. means for fixing the insulating sheets to the plate.